A Cincinnati man will serve seven years in prison following a crash on I-75 in which a truck tire flew through the windscreen, killing an 18-year-old woman.
The Boone County Sheriff’s Office arrested Ricky A. Raider, 37, nearly a year after the incident. The Boone County Sheriff’s Office indicted him on June 4 for the death of Lauren A. Collins on July 16, 2023.
Thursday, Collins’ mother, Amy Marsh, and three other family members, including Collins’ father, stepfather, and grandmother, discussed how the tragedy affected their lives.
“There’s a sense of relief,” Marsh explained. “We were very worried about having to sit through a heartbreaking trial.”
Raider will serve seven years in jail without the possibility of parole. Raider apologized in court on Thursday to Collins’ family.
“To the family members, friends, and loved ones of Lauren Collins: I’m so sorry I cut your time short with her,” Raider told the press. “I can’t express my sorrow for hurting you. It was a freak accident, and I wish I could go back in time.
I just want you to know that I sincerely apologies again. This tragedy will remain with me in my heart.”
The sheriff’s office believes a truck traveling northbound on I-75 lost a tire and rolled out of control over the concrete barrier and into oncoming traffic before colliding with Collins’ windshield.
On July 22, 2023, Raider reported himself to the Independence Police Department, admitting that “he lost a tire on the interstate over the past weekend.”
But at the time, he claimed he didn’t think his tire had hit anyone.
Months later, the sheriff’s office announced that Sgt. Jeffy Nagy had obtained a recorded phone call from Raider to a female inmate at the Bullitt County Detention Centre on July 16, 2023.
During the call, Raider stated that he was driving northbound on I-75 when his tire detached from his truck. He also stated that he saw the tire hit Collins’ vehicle and knew it was likely to injure or kill someone.
During her statement to Boone County Judge James R. Schrand on Thursday, Marsh said, “There was a deviant chuckle in his voice that cut straight into my soul and should cut into the heart of anyone who has any empathy for human life.”
Collins’ mother told WCPO that she did not believe Raider’s apology.
“I heard what he said, and I don’t believe it,” Marsh replied. “His actions that evening did not show in any way that he had any remorse for others.”
Instead, Marsh stated that the family is committed to continuing Lauren’s legacy. They are honoring her memory through the non-profit organization Shine Like Lauren, Inc. It aims to provide scholarships and opportunities to creative students in northern Kentucky.
“Her enthusiasm for life was contagious, inspiring those around her in countless ways,” Collins’ stepfather, Jeremy Marsh, said. “She mentored young dancers in the studio, instilling in them her love for dance and performance.”
